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Apr 17, 2019 2:03 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Carol
Alberta, Canada (Zone 3b)
Does anyone here use cricket frass? Frass means insect droppings.

I found this: (but there is tons of info on it on the web)

Frass Forward benefits plants, gardens and lawns through many amazing organic natural mechanisms. For example, chitin (fibre in the exoskeleton of insects) triggers a plant's immune response system to defend itself from pathogens and many kinds of pests.

Frass is a natural bloom stimulant, thus helping to produce a higher fruit and vegetable yield, thicker lawns, and healthier plants. Frass helps to promote the formation of compost, as it is a microbial inoculant. It is an important recycler of nutrients in rainforests, and favours plant health.

So any thoughts? Thumbs up
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Apr 17, 2019 2:08 AM CST
Name: Lola
Tasmania
Region: Australia Birds Garden Photography Cottage Gardener Farmer Irises
Roses Keeps Sheep
It sounds interesting but I have to admit your first sentence had me thinking, "It's hard enough picking up sheep dung with a bucket and spade. Imagine picking up cricket poop with tweezers and a thimble."
Avatar for hampartsum
Apr 17, 2019 6:41 AM CST
Name: Arturo Tarak
Bariloche,Rio Negro, Argentina (Zone 8a)
Dahlias Irises Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Roses
Lola your imagination! WoW! it sent me Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing ....I almost can't stop!
Next thought: " oh no one other thing to research, find, understand...".... Sighing!
However it might well be a venue! (hope, hope, hope Smiling )
Lol
Arturo
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Apr 17, 2019 11:17 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Carol
Alberta, Canada (Zone 3b)
hampartsum said:
Next thought: " oh no one other thing to research, find, understand...".... Sighing!
However it might well be a venue! (hope, hope, hope Smiling )
Lol
Arturo


That's so cute, Arturo!! Hilarious! Apparently it's great to put in with newly planted roses/bare roots.

Lola - Tweezers!!! Oh my!! And to think I once raised crickets (as well as king worms) for my leopard geckos (sold). I could have used their frass for free!!
Last edited by Canadian_Rose Apr 17, 2019 11:20 AM Icon for preview
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Apr 17, 2019 12:00 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Carol
Alberta, Canada (Zone 3b)
I've also read that seabird poop fertilizer is really good for flowering plants.

But everything organic seems to be so expensive.
I have tried to make compost...in a rolling tumbler...didn't work that well. Also tried vericomposting...it was too difficult to get all the worms out of the compost...didn't enjoy doing that very much. And my husband doesn't want composting piles around the yard.
hmmmm....
I could do leaf composting. Just get people's leaf bags (they're collected for composting...and people are allowed to go get the bags) and let them decompose in the bags.
Any other thoughts?
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Apr 17, 2019 2:42 PM CST
Name: Lola
Tasmania
Region: Australia Birds Garden Photography Cottage Gardener Farmer Irises
Roses Keeps Sheep
Carol - Seabird poop (guano) is rich in phosphate. I don't know how you would collect it but I did quite well by parking under a telegraph pole popular with pelicans once. I also don't know what it would do to potted roses but it took the paint off my 1949 Ford Anglia Tourer (a small English open top car) and turned the leather seats into cardboard.
Avatar for porkpal
Apr 17, 2019 4:21 PM CST
Name: Porkpal
Richmond, TX (Zone 9a)
Cat Lover Charter ATP Member Keeper of Poultry I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Dog Lover Keeps Horses
Roses Plant Identifier Farmer Raises cows Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Level 2
There must be a better way...
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Apr 17, 2019 4:24 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Carol
Alberta, Canada (Zone 3b)
PorkPal Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing Oh, this is too funny!!!! Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing

Lola - Rolling on the floor laughing I meant that I would buy some that's already been composted. Rolling on the floor laughing Oh, I've never laughed so hard from being on the computer before!!! Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing

Rolling on the floor laughing
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Apr 18, 2019 7:40 PM CST
Name: Shyam
San Francisco, CA (Zone 10b)
FoxFarm organic fertilizer and the potting soil has a good % of bat guano in it. Worth checking it out.
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Apr 19, 2019 10:13 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Carol
Alberta, Canada (Zone 3b)
I was just doing some research on bat guano...and I've decided to not buy anything with bat guano in it...because of the problems bats are having with white nose syndrome. I don't want to further disturb the bats and their environment...plus it's not healthy for the workers who get the guano out. Some places do it safely (for the bats/humans) but some don't. So I'm going to get something else. Darn.
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Apr 19, 2019 6:18 PM CST
PNW (Zone 8b)
Carol,

Because all of my roses are potted, I've tried several different potting soil and now use E.B. Stone Edna's Best Potting Soil. It keeps soil moist yet has good ability to drain water off. The most benefit part may be its price–performance ratio, though I don't know if you can get it in Canada. Green Grin!
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Apr 23, 2019 7:04 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Carol
Alberta, Canada (Zone 3b)
Hmmm...I did a quick search...no luck. I did find the product...and it sounds amazing!
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Apr 23, 2019 10:28 PM CST
PNW (Zone 8b)
Oh. Maybe you can ask your local nurseries what potting soil do they use for their plants. I was recommended by mine, and it works great. I believe you will find a good one!
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Apr 24, 2019 12:29 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Carol
Alberta, Canada (Zone 3b)
I'm going to try to fix the soil I already have by adding
- coffee grounds
- wool pellets
- crushed egg shells
- insect frass...maybe
- alfalfa pellets
- Milorganite... maybe
- fish fertilizer

I tell you, I've put so much old potting soil on the grass that the grass is starting to drown. Whistling I didn't realize that it could be refreshed. D'Oh!
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